Hand | Mean of hand in English Dictionary

/ˈhænd/

• Noun
• the body part at the end of your arm that includes your fingers and thumb
1. These gloves will keep your hands warm.
2. She put her hands over her eyes.
3. He sat quietly with his hands folded in his lap.
• power, possession, or control
1. The maps were in the hands of the enemy. [=the enemy had the maps]
2. The land between these mountains remains in private hands. [=is privately owned]
• physical help
1. Do you need a hand?
2. I'll be happy to lend a hand. [=help]
3. Can you give/lend me a hand with [=help me with] this suitcase?
4. Let me give you a hand with that.

• a long, thin part that points to a number on a clock or dial
1. Many clocks have a second hand, a minute hand, and an hour hand.
• a promise of marriage
1. He asked for her hand (in marriage). [=he asked her to marry him]
2. She offered her hand in marriage to him. [=she said that she would marry him]
3. She gave him her hand in marriage. [=she married him]
• the act of hitting your hands together to show approval, appreciation, etc.
1. Let's give him a big hand! [=a big round of applause]
• the cards that are held by a player in a card game
1. He studied his hand before deciding how much to bet.
2. The program is designed to help children who have been dealt a cruel hand in life. [=children who have suffered or had bad things happen to them]
3. Even her critics say her chances of succeeding are great since she has been dealt such a strong hand. [=she is in a strong position]
• a single round of play in a card game
1. He lost the first hand but won the next two.
• a hired worker
1. factory hands
2. The cowboys were simply hired hands with no ownership rights.
• a member of a ship's crew
1. All hands on deck!
• someone who performs or produces something (such as a work of art)
1. These two portraits are by the same hand. [=by the same artist]
• a particular way or style of doing or handling something
1. The hand of a master is evident in these sculptures. [=these sculptures were obviously done by a very skillful artist]
2. He runs the business with a firm hand.
3. a cook who has a heavy hand with the salt [=who uses too much salt]
• the way a person's writing looks
1. a note written in an elegant hand
• a unit of measure equal to 4 inches (about 10.16 centimeters) and used especially to measure the height of horses
1. a horse that is 15 hands high
• close in distance or time
1. She likes to keep the phone (close) at hand.
2. We need to address the problem at hand [=the particular problem we are dealing with] and not argue about these other issues.
• by or through the action of (someone or something)
1. They were treated badly at the hands of the prison guards.
2. The people had suffered at the hands of a cruel dictator.
• with the hands
1. The stone was carved by hand.
• from one person directly to another
1. I delivered the document to his office by hand.
• by holding someone's hand
1. I took him by the hand and led him through the crowd.
2. You can't expect me to lead you by the hand through every difficult situation.
• by your own actions
1. She died by her own hand. [=she killed herself; she committed suicide]
• to find, get, or control (someone or something)
1. I'm still trying to lay my hands on my car keys.
2. He couldn't wait to get his hands on her money.
3. Wait until I get my hands on you. [=you will be in trouble when I catch you]
• skillful at things that require the use of your hands
1. He's always been good with his hands.
• very closely
1. We are working hand in glove with the police to recover the stolen property.
• holding hands
1. They walked on the beach hand in hand.
• without much money
1. They have been living hand to mouth since he lost his job. = It's been hand to mouth since he lost his job.
• asking or begging for something in a respectful way
1. He came to me, hat in hand, asking if I could get him a job at the company.
• to be involved in (something)
1. She had a hand in designing the new highway.
2. Did he have a hand in this decision?
• to be very busy
1. She'll have her hands full with the new baby.
• to hold a person's hand in one of your hands for a period of time
1. two people holding hands
2. He held hands with his daughter.
3. He held her hand as they walked.
• to guide someone through a process by carefully explaining each step
1. I don't need you to hold my hand.
• being taken care of very well
1. With her in charge, the office is in good hands. [=she will do the job well]
2. You're in safe hands with us. [=you will be safe with us]
• in your possession or control
1. We started our hike with compass and map in hand.
2. He has the situation well in hand. [=he is in control of the situation]
3. You need someone to take you in hand, young lady, and show you how to behave!
• available for use
1. If we work at this rate, we'll have a month in hand before our deadline is up!
• to continue to be involved in some activity
1. He retired several years ago, but he still comes by the office occasionally because he likes to keep his hand in (the business).
• to not touch (something)
1. Keep your hands off the cookies! We're saving them for later.
2. The military is asking lawmakers to keep their hands off [=not change] the defense budget.
• to touch or harm (someone)
1. He claims that he never laid a hand on her.
• no longer in your possession or no longer your responsibility
1. If you don't want those golf clubs anymore, I'll be glad to take them off your hands. [=I'll be glad to take them]
2. She's trying to find a way to get some of that extra work off her hands.
• present and available to do something
1. Five musicians were on hand to accompany her.
2. A priest was on hand to console them.
• with your hands and knees on the ground
1. She went down on her hands and knees.
• very quickly without serious thought
1. He rejected the plan out of hand.
2. Suggestions that the hearing should be delayed were dismissed out of hand.
• not controlled
1. The kids were (getting) out of hand. [=were behaving in a wild and uncontrolled way]
2. He warns that technology is getting out of hand.
• someone who can be trusted with responsibility or a job
1. The next leader of the party should be a safe pair of hands.
• to take control of something
1. The judge had no sympathy for people who insisted on taking the law into their own hands. [=trying to punish criminals themselves instead of allowing the legal system to do it]
2. After months of waiting for something to happen, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
• to try to do something
1. She wanted to try her hand at photography.
• to begin doing (something) usually in a skillful way
1. an actress who has turned her hand to directing
2. After he left publishing, he turned his hand to law.
• using only your hands and no tools or weapons
1. He tried to kill me with his bare hands.
• Verb
• to give (something) to someone using your hands
1. He handed her a letter. = He handed a letter to her.
2. Hand me that picture.
• to return (something) by handing it to someone
1. He handed the letter back (to her) without reading it.
2. The clerk handed back my credit card.
• to pass (something) from a person who is older (such as a parent) to a person who is younger (such as a child)
1. She will hand the diamond ring down to her niece.
2. The farm was handed down from generation to generation.
• to form and express (a decision or opinion) in writing
1. The Supreme Court has handed down its decision.
• to give (something) to a person who will review or accept it
1. Students should hand their papers in on Thursday.
2. He handed in his resignation.
• to give credit to (someone) for doing something
1. I've got to hand it to you. You did a great job planning the party.
• to give (something) to another person
1. (American football) The quarterback handed off the ball to the halfback.
2. She handed the job off to her assistant.
• to pass (something) from one person to another
1. These stories have been handed on from generation to generation.
• to give (something) to several or many people
1. They will hand out [=distribute] copies of the newsletter today.
2. He's always handing out advice to the people he works with.
3. She handed flyers out at the grocery store.
• to give up control or possession of (something or someone)
1. They demanded that he hand the documents over to them.
2. They agreed to hand over their hostages.